Benefits of Gardening - Why It's Good For You & The Planet

Benefits of Gardening: Why it’s good for you and the planet

Whether you’re an avid gardener and get outside every chance you get, or you’re a complete novice and have no idea where to start and never thought of yourself as green-fingered, it’s high time to discover the many benefits gardening can have on both you and the planet. From mental and physical health benefits of gardening to financial and environmental benefits, gardening really can make a difference

Trees act as the lungs of our earth, and therefore spending quality time outdoors protecting and nurturing those lungs and mother nature is crucial for the planet, now more than ever in fact. It just so happens that nurturing our own garden or any bit of greenery for that matter, can also improve our overall health and wellbeing. Even if your ‘garden’ is just a small patch of grass or even just a herb garden on your balcony, it still helps to engage your body, stimulate your mind and uplift your spirit.

So what are the benefits of gardening? Check out our infographic below to learn all about what gardening can offer in a mental, physical, financial and environmental capacity. As well as outlining the benefits of gardening, the infographic also shares how you could attract more wildlife into your garden, and how to bring the outside into your home if incorporating a fully-fledged garden just isn’t an option for you right now.

Even if you have been gardening for years, you might still be surprised about some of these benefits! And if you’ve never even picked up a pair of gardening gloves and a spade, then you’ll soon be wondering why you haven’t become a gardener sooner. Gardening is particularly good for seniors (especially if you have more time on your hands), however it really is there for any age to enjoy! So, what are you waiting for?

Why gardening is good for you & the planet?

“Gardening engages the body, stimulates the mind & uplifts the spirit”

Trees are the lungs of the earth. Spending quality time outdoors and nurturing Mother Nature - whether that’s a small patch of grass or a fully bloomed garden – can work wonders for both you and the planet.

Whether you’ve been gardening for years or you’re a complete novice and have no idea where to start, discover the main benefits which gardening has to offer and then grab your spade. Gardening is for any age too!

Mental health benefits
Physical health benefits
Financial health benefits
Environmental health benefits

Mental health benefits

Gardening can help provide the following mental health benefits:

Reduces stress and anxiety
Living in the moment (more present feeling and connected to nature)
Keeps the mind sharp and happy
More exposure to outdoors and fresh air (social gatherings in the garden)
Enhances sensory system (smells, colours and textures of plants)
Stimulates an interest in nature
Provides a reason to get up in the morning
Promotes a good night’s sleep

“51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling distressed and 61% reported feeling anxious”

According the the Mental Health Foundation’s online study from 2018.

Physical health benefits

“Pulling weeds and planting flowers can cause you to burn 200-400 calories per hour”

Gardening can help provide the following physical health benefits:

Improve immune system
Burns calories
Provides more vitamin D from sunlight
Encourages a greener diet (grow own fruit and vegetables)
Helps mobility and flexibility
Decreases risk of heart disease and diabetes
Encourages use of all motor skills

Environmental benefits

Gardening, especially eco-friendly gardening, can help provide the following environmental benefits:

Releases oxygen into the atmosphere
Absorbs carbon dioxide for a cleaner atmosphere
Provides habitat and food for wildlife
Reduces waste
Regulates the water cycle

Here’s how you can create an eco-friendly garden:

Recycle and reuse materials
Choose eco-friendly materials and equipment
Make your own compost
Grow your own produce
Use natural remedies instead of chemical fertilisers
Conserve water
Choose native plants and flowers
Plant trees
Use permeable paving

“CO2 is one of the major contributing elements to the greenhouse effect. Mature trees can absorbs roughly 48 pounds of CO2 a year”

“It is estimated that an average distance of 1,500 miles is travelled before the food from your local grocer is consumed”

Financial benefits

“Grow your own gardeners save an average of £268 a year”

Gardening can help provide the following financial benefits::

Increases property value
Growing own produce will save you money on your grocery bill
Try growing salad, potatoes, peas, beans, tomatoes and more

Attracting wildlife to your garden

The decline of bees and pollinators has been a growing concern around the planet. You can attract bees, as well as other insects and wildlife by providing food, water, shelter and a place to breed.

“Bee keeping has dramatically declined in the UK and in the past 100 years there have been around a 75% decrease in the number of bee hives”

“The V moth recorded a 99% fall in numbers between 1968 and 2007 and is now threatened with extinction”

Try attracting wildlife with the following:

Grow a mix of flowers, shrubs and trees
Let your garden grow wild
Cut grass less often
Don’t disturb hibernation spots
Don’t use pesticides
Put up nesting boxes
Hang a bird feeder
Add a bird table and bath
Make a rock garden
Create a water feature

Bringing the outdoors in

Bringing plants and nature into your own home has a whole host of benefits

Aesthetically pleasing
Purifies the air
Improves sleep
Provides a sense of peace and well-being
Reduces stress and anxiety

A house plant for every room

“Rooms with houseplants contain up to 60% less airborne moulds and bacteria than rooms any greenery”. Grows in all kinds of light with average moisture